


A Yuletide Moment

by Paige242



Category: The Bureau of Magical Things
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-13 23:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16901742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige242/pseuds/Paige242
Summary: Kyra goes to the Blackwell's annual Christmas ball and gets more than she bargained for. (Post Season 1)





	A Yuletide Moment

“Oh Kyra, you have to go! It’s the best event of the year!”

There was no questioning Lily’s excitement—as always, the good-natured fairy was delighted by the prospect of a festive party and Kyra tried to muster a smile. She was much less keen on these sorts of things and, as she looked over at Imogen’s grim expression, she had to wonder how fantastic the event truly was.

“I do love Christmas.” The girl began diplomatically, glancing between her two friends. “But I’m not sure if I should be going to stuff like this.” She continued, recalling the less than pleasant prize giving ceremony she had attended the pervious year. “I’m not exactly the most popular or accepted person in the magical community. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s night.”

Lily’s cheerful expression was replaced by a small frown for a moment before she came up with a reply.

“Nonsense.” The fairy countered, clearly refusing to take no for an answer. “You’ve proven yourself more times than I can count, and if there are a handful of people out there who can’t accept it, then that’s their problem. We want you there, don’t we Immo?”

The other girl looked over at the sound of her name and she slowly closed the old tome she had been looking at. Class was over for the day but, always keen to prove herself, the elf had stayed behind to work on an extra credit assignment. Lily and Kyra were supposed to be finishing up some homework too but talk had turned to social matters soon after the Professor had bid them goodnight.

Apparently, Kyra had learned, there was a Christmas ball coming up the following weekend and (if Lily was correct) it was a magical event that could not be missed. As always, the triling had been the last to find out about it and, as she had said, she wasn’t entirely sure if she would be welcomed.

“If I’m being honest, I don’t really want to go myself—but I don’t have a choice.” The elf finally answered with her trademark scowl. “If you want to come, Kyra, you’re definitely invited. I’ll make sure you’re on the guestlist.”

Kyra turned to her friend curiously. “Why do you have to go?” She asked, cocking her head to one side. “Are you in charge of it or something?”

Imogen let out a small snort.

“Or something.” She muttered under her breath before beginning to explain. “My family hosts it.” She explained, clearly less than pleased by the prospect. “It’s been tradition for as long as anyone can remember. And even though most of our royal duties were abolished centuries ago, this obligation remained, for some reason. The whole thing is pretty antiquated, if you ask me.”

Although Kyra did not tend to be as blunt as her friend, she was willing to be that Imogen’s assessment was more in line with her own. She wasn’t much for pomp and circumstance and the whole thing sounded way too formal for her tastes.

“Come on, Imogen. Even you have to admit it’s a beautiful night! Your mother does such a wonderful job getting the castle ready for Christmas and it’s fun to get all dressed up.”

“Wait…” Kyra cut in, looking back and forth between the other two girl for a moment. “Did you say castle?” She turned to Imogen. “I mean, I know the Blackwell’s used to be royalty back in the day—but you guys still live in an actual castle?”

Imogen gave a nonchalant shrug. “We only really use one wing of it. But yeah, technically it’s a castle.”

All Kyra could do was stare ahead in surprise. She’d been friends with Imogen and Darra for over a year now—ever since she had accidentally fallen into the magical world—but she had never been to their house or thought to ask about it. Sure, she’d known that their family used to be in charge and were still highly regarded in the magical world. But, for some reason, she had assumed that they still lived like everyone else. The magical homes she had been too were very similar to human homes, aside from a few strange objects and charms.  

It was weird to think that some of her friends came from very different circumstances.

“You should see the ballroom, Kyra. It’s stunning!” Lily gushed, still trying to get her friend on board with the festivities. “Especially with all of the trees and lights.”

Imogen snorted. “Mum gets pretty carried away.” She added, letting out another sigh. “Like I said, it’s all kind of ridiculous if you ask me. And I hate being paraded around. It gets worse every year.”

Much to the elf’s annoyance, Lily simply giggled.

“Traditionally, the annual ball was used as a time for the royals to find suitable mates.” She explained, leaning towards Kyra. “Imogen and Darra are expected to dance with the eligible members of elven high society and choose a partner for the last dance of the night.”

“Ridiculous.” Imogen repeated, the annoyance in her voice clear. “I have no idea why my parents insist on keeping up such an outdated practice. I’ve fought them on it before, but I know I have to choose my battles. Thankfully, it’s all just ceremonial and doesn’t mean anything.”

Kyra had to agree that it all sounded pretty medieval but she wasn’t too shocked. During her time in the magical world she had come to realize that many aspects of it were quite outdated, and it was easy to imagine such a ball taking place. Jared Blackwell probably revelled in it and, from what she had heard about Darra and Imogen’s mother, it seemed she enjoyed it too. Even Lily was keen on the festivities (though like most fairies, she was keen on any excuse to party).

Imogen was clearly on a different page, though. And Kyra had to wonder about the last member of the family. There was no denying that he had been on her mind quite a bit recently.

“What does Darra think about all of this?” She asked, hoping her tone didn’t give away the slight anxiety she suddenly felt. It was hard to admit, but the thought of him mingling in a room full of potential romantic partners made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

They were still just “friends,” but it was becoming harder and harder to deny the inevitability of something more between them.

Lily sent her friend a knowing look and Imogen began her reply.

“He thinks it’s all a bit silly, obviously. But he’s better at playing along than I am.” She paused. “You know Darra, too easy going for his own good sometimes.”

“You have to go Kyra!” Lily reiterated, her eyes still wide. “Imagine the look on his face when he sees you there!” The girl gave a small squeal of excitement. “We all know who he’ll pick for his last dance!”

Kyra was unable to stop a flush from spreading across her cheeks as she glared at her so-called friend. She had known that confiding in the fairy about her growing feelings had been a mistake.

“Lily!” She exclaimed, avoiding Imogen’s gaze. “Stop being silly! You know I don’t…I won’t…”

She could only hope that the elf was not annoyed by this elusion to her feelings about her brother. Imogen had warned her not to fall for him before, and Kyra had always been careful not to discuss the topic again.

When she finally forced herself to look up, however, she was surprised to see that the girl actually had a small smile on her face.

“It’s fine, Kyra.” She said reassuringly. “Lily is right. He’d be thrilled. And he should be with someone he actually has feelings for rather than some random girl who is just after the attention and prestige.”

“I…well…”

Embarrassingly, Kyra found herself stuttering again as her cheeks turned a warm shade of pink.

As if sensing her question, Imogen continued. “He’s matured a lot in the past year, Kyra.” She noted, still smiling. “That summer away was good for him, and he’s more focused that I have ever seen him. I think now—you two—it would be a good thing.”

As much as she wanted to preserve her dignity, Kyra fond herself simply nodding.

“Okay.” She said, finally breaking the long pause that fell over the library.

Lily clapped her hands with delight. “Let’s meet at my place at three o’clock that Saturday!” She exclaimed, her mind undoubtedly filling with various hair and ensemble ideas. “It’s going to be such an amazing night!”

Kyra did her best to smile but, even with the event two weeks away, she could already feel her nerves beginning to build.

She could only hope that Lily was right.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

December twenty-second arrived much faster than she could have anticipated. The past couple of weeks had been a haze of exams and assignments (in both of her schools), and it was a wonder that she had made it to the holiday season at all.

But the first Saturday of the break had arrived, and that meant that Kyra, Lily and a begrudging Imogen were in the fairy’s bedroom getting ready for the “event of the year.”

Kyra still had no idea what to expect, and there had been little time to discuss it further in all of the hustle and bustle, but she was determined to see it through despite a long list of worries and hesitations.

She still wasn’t convinced that she would be welcomed there—least of all by Imogen and Darra’s parents. And, at Lily’s insistence, she hadn’t even told Darra she was going. The fairy was convinced that he would love the surprise, but Kyra was less certain.

Maybe he was over his crush on her. She had turned him down, after all, and then he had gone travelling for a long while.

Perhaps she had missed her chance.

“You’re sure your dad doesn’t mind me coming?” Kyra asked, looking away from the mirror and turning towards her elven friend. “Because on prize day…”

“That was ages ago.” Imogen pointed out as she once again pulled up the top of her uncomfortable looking green gown. “After the whole thing with Orla he’s softened a lot, and he’s not going to cause a scene when the eyes of the entire magical community are on him. Neither is my mum. They care way too much about their reputations to ever put a toe out of line in public.”

Imogen sounded slightly bitter about this fact and Kyra knew that she had little in common with her parents. They were both, apparently, rather materialistic socialites who loved the spotlight that events like this provided.

“Okay.” Kyra said reluctantly as she looked back down at the book of dresses Lily had provided.

She could not take her eyes off of a red one at the bottom of the second page. It was a floor length gown, with delicate glimmering swirls around the edge. It was fancier than anything she had ever worn before and she was hesitant to try it—but if Imogen’s dress was anything to go by, it probably was appropriate for the occasion.

“Fine, I guess I have to go with this one.” She said, pointing at the page. Lily smiled widely before summoning her wand and giving one final glance at the picture.

“Beautiful! Stand up and I’ll conjure it.”

Kyra obliged and, moments later, she felt the elaborate silken gown appear on her frame.

As she turned back towards the full length mirror in Lily’s room, she had to admit that it did look good. She wasn’t really the ball gown type, but the red set off her skin tone wonderfully and the dress clung to her in all the right places before elegantly draping down to the ground. She looked like a princess which, she supposed, was somewhat appropriate for the occasion.

“Oooo, Kyra! I love it!” Lily exclaimed with delight. Her enthusiasm for the event had not faded in the slightest over the past couple of weeks. “My turn now!”

The fairy flipped through the book for a few moments before stopping on a page with the words “dresses for wings” written across the top.

Kyra glanced at it for a moment before looking back up at her friend.

“Wait.” She began, perplexed. “Do fairies show their wings during this ball?”

All fairies had them, of course, but they tended to keep them out of sight unless they were on a mission of some sort. It was certainly unusual for them to walk around full-sized with their wings on display.

“Of course! It’s yuletide ball tradition.” Lily said, her eyes still skimming the page of low-backed dresses.

Kyra paused for a second, a worrying thought forming in her mind.

She had assumed that the fairies in attendance that night would look like they usually did in their full-sized form. That was to say, more-or-less human.

But if that was not the case, then Kyra was going to stick out like a sore thumb. Elves always looked like elves, and if the fairies were going to look like fairies, then she would probably be the only person there who didn’t appear magical at all.

Imogen must have noticed the expression on her face because she turned to her friend with concern.

“What’s wrong, Kyra?”

She hesitated before confessing. “I didn’t realize I’d be the only human-looking person there.” She admitted, biting her lip. “Maybe this was a silly idea after all.”

“You won’t be.” Lily said, clearly worried that her friend was about to back out. “Halflings look human too. And—” Her eyes lit up. “We could do a spell!”

Kyra quickly threw her hands up in front of her defensively. “Oh no.” She said, recalling what had happened the last time Lily had tried to help her fit in. “When you gave me wings before I almost stayed shrunk forever. It’s not worth the risk.”

“No wings, silly!” Lily countered, her eyes still full of excitement. There was no doubt that she had a plan in mind. “I thought about it before, actually, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.”

With a wave of her wand and a flash of yellow light, a new tome suddenly appeared on the bed and the young fairy began to leaf through it quickly.

“I came across this spell a few months ago and thought of you.” She explained as she turned the book towards Kyra and pointed at a paragraph in the middle of one of the pages. “You got to try being a fairy once—why not try being an elf?” Lily paused as she gave Imogen a playful wink. “Even though it’s obviously not as cool.”

Imogen stuck out her tongue but Kyra was too preoccupied to engage in her friends’ mock bickering.

 _Be an Elf Till Midnight_ , the subtitle read in ornate black letters.

As she skimmed the page, she concluded that it was a very simple spell and there did not appear to be any fine print this time. It seemed that one could simply disguise themselves as an elf until the stroke of twelve, if desired.

She had never really considered the idea before, and it seemed a bit odd to “disguise” herself. Kyra did not consider herself a phoney in any way, shape, or form and she had no desire to lie about who she was.

But, on the other hand, it would allow her to enjoy the night without the annoying stares of strangers around her. She could simply relax and blend in—enjoy the time with her friends, stress-free.

Plus, she was admittedly curious to see what she would look like with a pair of pointed ears.

If there really were no consequences, then what was the harm?

“Okay, why not.” She agreed, letting out a long breath.

Imogen smirked before sending Lily a triumphant look. “It’s way better than being a fairy, trust me Kyra.” She said, eliciting an eye roll from the blonde.

With another skim of the page, Kyra nodded. Closing her eyes, she said the simple incantation and waited to feel something—anything—that would tell her it had worked.

When nothing seemed to happen, she opened her eyes and looked towards her friends with a sigh.

The girl was about to admit defeat when the expression on Lily’s face told her that she had not failed after all.

“Oh, you look so good!” The fairy proclaimed, quickly stepping out of the way so that Kyra could glance back into the mirror. “It really suits you, even I have to admit it!”

As she caught sight of her altered reflection, Kyra was surprised to find that she agreed. She expected to be shocked by the change, but it actually took a moment for her to realize that anything was different.

Her long dark hair was tucked behind her now-elongated ears—but despite the stark contrast between her hair and skin colours, it was not a very alarming sight.

She did look like an elf.

But she was still undeniably her.

“Cool.” She muttered under her breath as she continued to examine the change. “I actually…I kinda like it.”

She could see Imogen smirking again in the background. “Of course you do.” She said cockily, holding her own head high. “Elves are the best.” She paused, her smile widening. “And there is no denying that you’ve always had an affinity towards us. Well, one of us anyway.”

Kyra felt a slight flush—there was no doubt that she was alluding to her brother, and the girl’s heart began to beat a bit faster as she thought about the prospect of facing him that night.

Oh god, she hoped he didn’t think she looked ridiculous like this. She hadn’t even considered that before rashly trying out the new spell.

“Don’t worry, Darra will love it. He is an elf, after all.” Imogen continued, seemingly reading her mind once more. “Mind you, you could show up dressed as a troll and he’d probably still be head over heels for you.”

Before Kyra could muster a shocked reply, Imogen stood up from her spot on the bed, adjusting her strapless gown again. “Speaking of my darling family.” She continued, her expression darkening. “I need to get home so I’m in place for the opening speeches. Urgh, I can’t wait till this is over.”

“It’ll be fun, Immo.” Lily said reassuringly. “Get the formal stuff over with and then come find us. We all know you love to dance more than you like to admit.”

The elf let out a long sigh and she nodded. “Okay, fine. See you guys there.”

And with that, she disappeared in a blue flash.

There was a short pause before Lily redirected them back to the business at hand. “Right.” She began, looking down at the book of dresses. “I’m going to conjure this gold one. Then we’ll do a few last-minute hair and makeup adjustments and be on our way.”

All Kyra could do was nod as the fairy got to work.

This night was already weirder than she had anticipated and she had no idea what lay in store.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   

To say that Blackwell Castle was magnificent would have been an understatement.

Kyra had only ever seen places like this in the movies and that was nothing like entering such a grand estate in real life. It was hard to believe that such a massive and luxurious place was located on the outskirts of River City (masked to mortal eyes, of course, but still!) and it was weird to think that two of her friends actually lived here.

She had known Darra and Imogen for over a year now, and she never would have guessed that this was the life they had grown up with. They were so normal and relaxed. Not pretentious in the least. And yet they had basically grown up as de facto royalty in the biggest palace she had ever seen.

The size of the crowds that night had also caught the girl off guard. It seemed that magical people from around the globe had made the trek for these yuletide festivities. She had never seen so many fairies and elves in one place, and she was thankful that she had made the decision to blend it. Perhaps it was somewhat cowardly but, disguised as an elf, she did not attract any second glances. There was no denying how nice it was not to be “that strange triling girl” for a night.

After making their way though the grand foyer, Lily and Kyra had entered the bustling ballroom. Even though the event had not formally started yet the place was quite full. Long ornately decorated tables lined the sides of the room and beautiful Christmas displays glittered in each of the four corners. Magical lights danced across the ceiling and sparkling snowflakes fluttered above, disappearing before they reached any of the guests.

It must have taken ages to set up and Kyra wondered how many people the Blackwell’s had on staff.

“Do Imogen and Darra have…servants?” She whispered, leaning towards her companion. She wasn’t sure if it was a rude question, and it seemed weird to even make the suggestion in this day in age. But, to be fair, she was still learning about this world and it felt as if they had stepped back in time.

 Lily quickly nodded. “Most wealthy families do.” She replied. “And it would be impossible to maintain a place like this without help.”

She supposed that was true. But still, it was weird to think about her friends living in a way that seemed so foreign to her.  For some reason, the thought of this luxurious lifestyle made Imogen and Darra seem more different to her then the fact that they were technically an entirely different species.

Her head was swimming with questions but, before she could ask any more, the sound of music from the front of the hall brought a hush over the crowd. Kyra wasn’t sure what was going on, but her eyes widened as she watched several footmen open a large double door to reveal the Blackwell family standing on a platform at the front of the massive room.

This must be the formal opening Imogen had been complaining about, she reasoned.

Kyra and Lily were at least fifty metres away, but even from their vantage point she had a fairly clear view. The four were dressed in formal attire, all in varying shades of green. Jared and Amelia Blackwell both looked thrilled by the large crowd as they waved gracefully at the onlookers. Imogen, meanwhile, was clearly struggling to keep a scowl from her face and Darra, at his father’s side, looked mildly uncomfortable.

She watched as he shifted his weight from foot to foot, his right hand twitching as it often did when he was nervous. Most probably wouldn’t have noticed such things, but she knew him well and had become adept at reading his moods.

Although she had been trying to keep her mind clear of such thoughts, Kyra had to admit that he looked incredibly handsome. He was wearing a deep green military style suit with gold fastenings—it looked like the sort of thing she imagined eighteenth century princes would have worn and, she supposed, it probably was. And the ensemble was topped off with one surprising detail.

“They’re wearing crowns!?” Kyra whispered, eliciting a quiet giggle from Lily. It was more of a statement than a question, but her surprise and disbelief was apparent. “I thought they weren’t actually royalty anymore.”

Lily laughed quietly again. “They’re not. It’s just a symbolic thing. Magical people love tradition, Kyra. Even though times have changed we sometimes like to pretend that they haven’t.”

She nodded slowly. As she looked at her surroundings, it certainly did feel as if times had never changed.

“Elves. Fairies. On behalf of the Blackwell family I welcome you all on this yuletide evening.” The voice of Jared Blackwell echoed through the hall before the guests responded with a polite clap.

“We trust that you will all enjoy the food and festivities as we ring in this magical season.” The man drew a breath, his expression now more serious than it was before. “While the year behind us has had many ups and downs, I believe we have all emerged stronger and more united than we ever have before. I am grateful to see you all here, together, and ready to celebrate.”

There was another smattering of applause and Kyra was surprised by his allusion to the horrible episode with Orla’s takeover of the DMI. She supposed it was simply too big of a moment to ignore and she was also glad that all had moved on from that horrible time.

“And now, without further adieu, let the party begin!”

As he finished, a cascade of glittering stars suddenly burst from above and the band struck up a lively tune. Jared and Amelia Blackwell made their way to the middle of the dancefloor to start off the first dance and Kyra watched as both Darra and Imogen turned towards the edges of the crowd and offered their hands to two strangers. Soon, there were three couples dancing and, after about a minute, more began to join.

As she gazed ahead, both fascinated and uncomfortable with the current situation, Kyra had to admit that her friends were both much better dancers than she would have guessed. Then again, this night had already been full of surprises and she would not be shocked to learn that ballroom dancing had been part of their not-quite-but-kinda royal upbringing.

Although she did not like to admit it, there was no denying that she felt a surge if jealously towards the young elf Darra had plucked from the crowd for the first dance. She had known that this would happen—he was a Blackwell and he was expected to be a gracious host— but seeing it in action had been a bit worse than she had anticipated. She knew it was silly, and she really wasn’t one of ‘those girls’…but the more she embraced her feelings for her classmate, the more it stung to see him take someone else in his arms.

The girl he was dancing with was nothing but a stranger.

And yet, they looked good together.

Natural.

She was a beautiful elf with long reddish locks and bright green eyes and Kyra’s stomach churned as she watched her laugh at something he had said as they danced.  

This was the sort of girl Darra was supposed to be with, she thought with a small frown. The sort of girl his parents would approve of. The sort of girl who would proudly stand beside him one day as he opened the annual Yuletide Ball.

When she had first met Jared Blackwell, he had told her to stay away from his son. Told her he had a destiny that she could not be a part of.

Kyra had dismissed that as silly nonsense back then but here, surrounded by this, she was finally beginning to see what the man had meant.

Darra really was from a different world, in more ways then one.  

“Lily…I.” The girl began, ashamed that her thoughts had spiraled so quickly after they had arrived. She didn’t want to ruin her friend’s night and she forced herself to keep a smile on her face. “Just feeling hot, going to get some air. You dance, I’ll be back in a moment.”

Lily nodded, a hint of worry on her face, but before she could question Kyra a handsome male fairy stepped up and invited her onto the dancefloor. Happy for the distraction, Kyra quickly made her escape.

As she exited the main hall, she looked around for a secluded spot.

It seemed that people were everywhere, but she soon caught sight of a glass door that seemed to lead out into the night and decided that she would take her chances there. Some air really would be good, she decided. There was no doubt that she needed to clear her head and get all of this ridiculousness out of her mind.

As she pushed open the door, Kyra was relieved to see that no one had yet discovered the large balcony she now found herself on. Like everything in the castle, it was ornate and beautiful and she made her way towards a carved marble bench that overlooked the gardens below.   

The cool stone felt soothing beneath her and she took a few deep breaths and she tried to shake herself out of this sudden funk.   

She really was being silly, she reasoned with a long sigh. They had only just arrived, and Darra was only her friend—she had been the one who had said that was all she wanted.

It was ridiculous to feel so upset by the sight of him dancing with some random guest but, she supposed, there really was more to it than that.

They weren’t together. He wasn’t hers.

But being at the castle and seeing the Blackwell’s start off the ball had made her realize just how unrealistic it all was. They were so different and there was no way she’d ever fit into a place like this.

He probably realized that now too and she had probably blown her one and only shot to take things further back when they had first met. Sure, she had said no the first time he asked her on a date—but that had been ages ago now. And she had been too overwhelmed with the newness of the magical world to think about anything else back then. It had seemed good to be honest about that.

But things had changed somewhere along the way. He had left, and she had missed him terribly. And she had even gone to visit him when the separation had become too much. She had started to really feel the sparks back then, but the timing hadn’t seemed right and she hadn’t known if or when he was coming back.

Now that he had been home for a couple of months, however, her desires had become clearer in her mind. He was sweet, and kind, and funny—her favourite person to spend time with. And there was no use denying how attractive he was to her. She loved that boyish grin, the way his hair always flopped into his eyes. Hell, she even loved those adorably pointed ears, even though it meant that their story was doomed from the start.

She may have had powers now—and she could even disguise herself as a magical being for a night. But she was really just a human girl who had stumbled into this world by accident. That was never going to be good enough.

This was his world.

His home.

And it seemed silly to keep on hoping that she would ever be part of it.

“Kyra?”

A sudden voice snapped her from her thoughts and she turned abruptly, her heart beating rapidly with surprise. She hadn’t heard anyone open the door to the balcony and she had certainly not expected to see the object of her thoughts standing casually in the moonlight.

Well, as casually as one could when wearing a golden crown and looking every inch a prince.

“Darra.” She replied, trying her best to steady her breathing as he approached and sat beside her. Her shock was wearing off, but she still did not feel at ease. Here, like this, he didn’t quite seem like the Darra what she knew and loved.

“Or is it your highness, technically.” She finished, trying her best to sound lighthearted.

The boy screwed up his face with disgust before letting out a laugh that made him instantly more familiar to her. There was the grin she had just been imagining.

“Please, don’t call me that.” He said before pulling off the crown and placing it on the bench behind him. “I hate that stupid thing, but mum and dad always insist. Because it’s a night of tradition and whatnot.”

Kyra smiled back. Although they were quite different, there were times when he was more like his twin sister than usual. “You sound like Imogen.” She said, eliciting another look of disgust. “She’s been complaining about this ball all week.” The girl paused, glancing back towards the inside of the castle. “It’s not so bad though, is it? I mean, this place is beautiful and people seem to be having fun.”

Darra glanced inside as well before offering a shrug. “I guess it could be worse.” He began with a soft sigh. “I hate having people look at me, though. You know I don’t do well under pressure.”

She laughed, recalling the many pep talks she’d have to give him during their time together. Although he wasn’t the hardest worker, Darra was a perfectionist in his own way. He didn’t like to try unless he thought he could do something perfectly and she was willing to bet he would have opted out of tonight’s festivities if his parents had given him any choice.

“You did fine up there.” Kyra said reassuringly, offering him another smile. “You looked very…princely.” She finished, searching for an alternative word to handsome.

The young man groaned again, shaking his head.

“I was standing up there and praying for it to end as quickly as possible. Thankfully, dad did keep his speech short this year.” Darra said as he looked back towards her. “It was nice a surprise to see you down there. You look…” He hesitated, and even in the dim light Kyra could have sworn that he blushed. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were coming. I even asked you what you were doing this weekend.”

Kyra smiled at the memory. They had gone into town for lunch on Thursday and he had indeed inquired about her plans. She had responded that she was doing “Christmas stuff” and he had seemed a bit disappointed, if memory served.

“I can’t believe you didn’t invite me.” She said giving him a playful nudge.

“I was about to, but you said you were busy.” He replied quickly. “Plus I was worried, I mean I didn’t want you to think I was pushing you because I know what you said and I’ve been trying not to, even if I want to…anyway.”

It was rare to see him so flustered and Kyra tilted her head to the side, perplexed. He was rambling, and she had no idea what he was on about.

“I’m glad I surprised you.” She said, trying to sound as casual as she could. “Mission accomplished. But don’t let me keep you. Imogen said you guys are expected to dance with lots of people tonight. You know, to find a mate suitable to your royal lineage or something.” Kyra tried to laugh, but the sound came out as more of an embarrassing choke.

As much as she wanted to be lighthearted and not reveal how she was currently feeling, it was difficult to play the role of the fun, nonchalant friend right now.

She hated the thought of him going back in there and surrounding himself with girls who were more interested in his money and ancestry than in Darra himself. She didn’t care about any of that and she found herself wishing that they could just escape it all.

For a moment, her mind filled with images of the beach they had once found. She’d have given anything to go back to that place now.

They could just be Darra and Kyra there.

“It’s not like that, Kyra.” He said, snapping her out of her unrealistic fantasy. “Sure, my family still has a few ceremonial duties or whatever, but I’m just me. I don’t care about any of that.”

“But this is your world, Darra.” She countered, looking up towards the long stone wall of the castle. “I knew your family was sort of a big deal, but until tonight I didn’t realize exactly what that meant.” The girl continued, turning back to her companion. “You were born magical. You grew up in a castle. People look to you as leaders of the magical community, you have an actual crown!”

“Yeah, and it’s all ridiculous and meaningless.”

“It’s not, though. And I finally get what your father said the first time I met him. I can pretend and dress up and much as I want, but this will never be me.” She brushed her hair behind her ears to accentuate her point and she watched as his mouth fell open in surprise.

In the dim light, and with her hair covering them, he had not yet noticed the change to her ears and it seemed that the sudden revelation had rendered him speechless. Kyra wasn’t sure what sort of reaction she was hoping for but she shifted nervously as she waited for his reply.

He probably thought she looked ridiculous. And maybe seeing her masquerading as one of his own kind would drive home the idea that they would never be the same.    

“I guess I look so absurd that you can’t even talk.” She muttered, once again forcing a laugh. “See? I’m not like you. I can’t be one of those beautiful elven girls you’re supposed to dance with.”

Kyra started to stand but the feeling of his hand on her wrist made her stop.

“Don’t.”

His voice was soft and low and there was a seriousness in it that she had rarely heard before.

“Don’t ever say you’re not enough, Kyra. Please.”

She could feel he heart begin to pound once more and she was unable to take her eyes off of his. She watched as he looked towards her ears again.

“Did you do this…was it because of me? Did you think that’s what I wanted?” He asked, his voice still quiet. He seemed to be in a bit of shock and she could see the worry in his brow.

The girl tried to shrug, still attempting to maintain her cool. “I don’t know, maybe.” She admitted honestly. “Plus I knew this was an event for elves and fairies, and I’m not exactly either of those things—but I figured I should try to blend in. I look stupid, I know. It was silly.”

He still had not taken his hand off of her wrist and she could feel her skin tingling with excitement. She wished she could shut off this involuntary reaction, but there was no hope of that with the guy she had been fantasizing about for months sitting mere inches away.

“This whole thing is silly.” She began again. “I don’t even know what’s happening right now, why I can’t stop feeling this way.” She paused, looking up towards the dark December sky. “It’s just my luck, really. Not only do I fall for an elf, but I fall for the goddamn prince of the elves! And you’re over it because I turned you down once before—which was for the best, because we are literally from different worlds— and now I’m just being pathetic. I’m an idiot.”

“Kyra, stop, please.” Darra cut in, directing her gaze back down by placing a gentle hand on her cheek.

He was so damn close now, she could practically feel the heat radiating off of him. But she hadn’t managed to keep her big mouth shut and it was probably only a matter of moments until he awkwardly dashed back inside.

Back to where he belonged.  

“You look beautiful. But you always look beautiful.” He began, lowering his hand until it was on top of hers. “I don’t want you to change your ears—or anything—because you think that’s what I want. All I want is you. I always have, and that is never going to change.”

Her heart leapt—was it really possible that his feelings hadn’t faded after all? Had they really both been pining for each other at the same time without even knowing it? That seemed too good to be true.

Still, it didn’t change who they were and the circumstances they faced.

“Darra, I—”   

 “Let me finish first.” He said, cutting her off with a slight grin on his handsome face. “You had your rant, now I want a turn.”

Kyra nodded and he continued.

“I can’t deny that my life is a little weird sometimes—like tonight. But you have to believe me when I say that none of this ceremonial stuff means anything to me. People like tradition, and I guess it’s nice to host a party to bring people together. So I go along with it to keep everyone happy. But I’m not an actual prince, Kyra. My family gave up the actual royal duties hundreds of years ago. I don’t have to follow any stupid royal decrees or traditions unless I want to. And trust me, I don’t.” He paused, letting out a long breath. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, yeah, maybe it would have been difficult for us to be together a few centuries ago, and it probably seems like we’ve gone back in time a few centuries tonight—but we haven’t. I like you, Kyra. Really like you. From the moment you walked into the library I knew you were something special and the more I got to know you, the more I realized that there could never be anyone else. So if you meant what you said…if you’ve finally fallen for me too, then I don’t see why we’re still debating any of this. The way I see it, it’s pretty simple.”

She wanted to object. Wanted to point out the million things that could go wrong, and all of the people who would be less than pleased by their union. But he was so close to her and she could not stop herself from instinctively leaning forward.

Before she knew it, they had come together for a long, gentle kiss.

Somehow, it was even better than she could have imagined and for a moment, everything really did seem simple.

When they broke apart, Kyra’s heart was beating rapidly once more and she could not suppress smile as she caught sight of the wide grin on Darra’s face.  

“That was…”

“Awesome.” She finished for him, her wide smile matching his own.

“And about damn time too.” He added with a lighthearted laugh. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a year and a half.”

Kyra smirked before leaning forward and stealing a second quick peck. “Only about ten months for me.” She said playfully. “But still, a bit too long I’d say.”

The young man laughed again before standing up and offering her his outstretched hand. Kyra hesitated for a moment—did he want to go back in and join the crowds already? Everything was happening so fast and she had hoped for a few more moments alone to process this unexpected new development.

But, she supposed, he did have duties to preform.

Seeing the furrow of her brow, Darra looked down with concern. “What?” He asked, unable to fully mask the jitter of nerves that had come with this encounter. “Do you not want to dance? It is a ball, after all.”

Kyra smiled, accepting his hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet. “I mean, sure—it’s just, this is all happening so fast. I need a moment.”

Darra nodded, clearly in agreement. “I didn’t mean in there.” He said, tilting his head towards the door. “I meant us. Out here.”

She felt her eyes widen, intrigued, and she watched as his fingers began to glow with magic. Smiling, he pointed to a spot behind them and, with a flash, an old fashioned record player appeared, a disk already spinning on its wheel. Kyra didn’t recognize the song that began to play—it was something gentle and classical. Not her usual cup of tea, but it did seem fitting in the circumstances.

“May I have this dance, m’lady?” He asked, stooping down into a slight bow. Kyra could not hold back a quiet laugh and when he looked up she could see that he was smirking too.

“What? I’m trying to play the part.” He said, offering her a playful wink. “See? I told you I’m bad at it.”

Kyra shook her head. “You’re not, actually.” She said, taking a moment to admire the sight before her. Two years ago, she never would have guessed that she would be here, now. Standing on a marble balcony of a castle with a dashing elf in front of her. Kyra had never been a girl who had been prone to such fantasies, but even she could not hold back a wide smile. “You’re just missing one thing.”

Leaning down, she grabbed the golden crown off of the bench and placed it back on Darra’s head, eliciting an eye roll from her companion.

“Come on,” she said taking one hand in hers and placing the other on his wide shoulder. “I have to admit that I kinda like it.”

He scoffed but did not protest as he drew her close. They began to sway in the moonlight, her head resting on his chest.

As he placed another gentle kiss atop her head, Kyra did her best to simply revel in the moment.

There was no telling what awaited them in the future—but for one, perfect, yuletide moment, they were just Darra and Kyra.

And it was simple.

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